it really ramped up under president obama as a favorite option of this administration. kind of low profile in terms of boots on the ground. the bush administration came in at a time when the country was really weary of two wars in iraq and afghanistan. the use of drones seemed to present a very attractive solution because very few military personnel could be involved, it can be operated in an over the horizon fashion where you don't have to even be based in the country where the action is going to be carried out. and supporters of the program say that the drones are actually fairly precise compared to other types of military operations. there's a lot of discussion on try to capture people instead of using drones. you can have a civilian casualties in and on the ground type of military operation. some experts will say they are perhaps even more likely using larger type of weapons ban drones typically use. if american troops on the ground, you are more likely to have casualties if not only of americans but civilians in the country you are operating in, they say. host: a t